New York is a beautiful state with talented residents. But the Empire State has an affordability problem and we all know it.

All the polls tell us there are two overriding issues among others for New Yorkers: affordability and the high cost of living, and public safety.

My Senate Republican colleagues and I held roundtable town hall meetings on the issue of affordability and listened to a diverse group of New York residents, business owners, labor representatives, non-profits, academics, and civic and municipal officials.

We heard a clear and consistent message.

Crime, taxes, insurance costs, daycare, healthcare, high utility bills, unrealistic energy mandates, and the lack of affordable housing are all to blame for New York’s affordability crisis.

New York ranks dead last, in 50th place among other states in the nation, for its business tax climate, according to a 2025 Tax Foundation report. They attribute this poor showing to the state’s highest-in-the-nation individual income tax rates and second-highest property tax burden, both of which discourage growth and investment.

High property and income taxes,........

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